The invention relates to a device for connecting a cable to an electric component that is arranged in a housing, comprising a support and at least one contact member that is retained in the support, the contact member having a cutting area and a contact area, the cutting area cutting through the insulation of the cable and contacting a conductor of the cable, and the contact area contacting a conductor arranged in the housing.
For the present purposes, the term “electric component” is meant to include both electric loads and electric energy sources.
Known in the art are connecting devices for cables where cutting connectors or so-called Insulation Displacement Connectors (IDC) cut through the insulation of the cable during the assembly and thus provide an electric connection to the electric conductor in the cable. An example of such a device is found in reference WO2004/105186A1, see particularly FIG. 3. An advantage of this device is that the electric connection is established very easily and without tools. A disadvantage, however, is that additional measures have to be taken for strain relief.
Further known are cable grips for strain relief, e.g. from reference DE4304385A1. This grip has a retaining part with a plurality of parallel grooves for the respective positively locking insertion of a section of the cable cores, and a holding part for fixing the inserted cable sections in the retaining part. The cable sections are deflected and thus secured against being pulled out of the grip. An advantage of this device is that a secure strain relief is ensured. A disadvantage, however, is that the electric connection of the cable cores has to be established independently from the strain relief and separately.
On the background of this prior art, the invention is based on the object of suggesting a device of the kind mentioned in the introduction that combines the advantages of an easy assembly and of strain relief in a safe manner and is simple and inexpensive to realize.